Member Reviews
A woman from a privileged background of supportive parents, extra money for coaches and event fees, private school, and an athletic background since childhood tries to convince you that it’s only the right mindset you’re lacking and not all those advantages.
Just because you achieve something great using advantages most of us never had doesn’t mean you are qualified to write a self help book claiming anyone can do the same if they have the right mindset.
Tia Toomey has won the Crossfit Games for six years in a row and in this book she gives advice on how other can do the same. The author talks about her experiences growing up in Australia and how they influenced her to do Crossfit. She gives the reader a look at her workout as well as advice as to how to push yourself to keep going even when you don't think you can.
I frequent athlete/fitness icon memoirs and self-help books. As someone who participated in CrossFit for nearly 9 years, I was sooo excited Tia was releasing a book and that I got access to an early copy!!
When I found out she read her own memoir on the audiobook though, I decided to wait and rent it from my library. I really love that she reads it herself - I always find that way more impactful for nonfiction especially memoirs!
I loved learning more about her background and her rise to become the Fittest Woman on Earth. I have followed her on social media for a number of years and seen all of the CrossFit documentaries but honestly had no idea most things about her background and life, especially her upbringing because she’s always appeared to be a pretty private person just trying to focus on the sport and not the fame. I also found her words incredibly inspirational and makes me want to go hit the gym and achieve big things!!
What resonated with me and stuck in my mind the most was her discussion of the differing perspectives between Australian athletes and American athletes and about how Australians tend to view sports in a fun and enjoy the *journey* of participating and being present in the moment but that Americans tend to be more competitive and participation is more about winning (*the destination*). I found that distinction based on her experience really fascinating!
Thank you so much to Tia, Rodale Books, and NetGalley for the e-galley!
Tia Toomey, the world-renowned CrossFit champion with six consecutive CrossFit Games victories, is not just a physical powerhouse but also a beacon of mental resilience. In "The Heart Is the Strongest Muscle," she delves into her journey from humble beginnings to becoming one of the most dominant athletes in history. Tia emphasizes the importance of identifying one's "why" – the driving force behind one's actions – as the key to achieving peak performance. Through her personal anecdotes, struggles, and triumphs, Tia shares invaluable insights on cultivating an unstoppable mindset. Whether you're a seasoned athlete or someone seeking to conquer new challenges, Tia's wisdom will guide you towards achieving your goals.
Tia Toomey's book was inspiring! I've followed her for years at the Crossfit games. her grit and determination is astounding and inspiring.
This book was confusing, half memoir, half self help and not sure which lane to fall in. Tia is a beast. That’s undeniable. Not a lot of direction of content in the book, but enjoyed some behind the scenes details on her training and mindset.
Thank you, Rodale Books, for the early review copy via Netgalley. (Available now.)
Tia Toomey won the CrossFit Games six unprecedented years in a row, and her latest book details how she focused her mindset and priorities on that accomplishment. The book is half memoir, half advice, and 100% Tia. I learned more about her philosophy and better understood her and other confident and aggressive athletes like her.
If you are interested in CrossFit or the lives of professional athletes, this is a worthwhile read. I heard she narrates the audiobook herself (I only had a copy of the e-book, but her personality and style came through loud and clear.)
I was a Tia fan before I read the book, and I’m even more fascinated with her now.
Thank you to PRH Audio, NetGalley, and Rodale Books for the opportunity to read and review this book!
Tia-Clair Toomy-Orr is a phenomenal athlete, qualifying for multiple Olympics (winter and summer), winning Gold at the Commonwealth Games, and winning the CrossFit Games six years in a row! She is known for her well-rounded abilities and her champion mindset that has developed in front of the fans for years. Now she shares insight into how she has reached such an elite level, the hurdles she has faced, and how others can emulate her practice to excel at their own chosen endeavors.
I started watching CrossFit in 2015, the same year Tia jumped onto the stage and made a name for herself. Now she is a six time champion, a new mother, and on her path back to the competition. I went into this book excited to hear from my favorite athlete, and though I enjoyed her insight about mental toughness, I wasn’t necessarily the target audience for this one. I think this would be an incredible read for anyone trying to take their passion and turn it into a championship level venture.
Thank you netgalley for the book in exchange for a review. This is the 1st time I have heard of Tia Toomey. The pointers she gave about fitness and training were very good. They were short and to the point.
This was great. I didn’t expect it to be so gym focused, but as a fellow pregnant athlete I appreciated all the gym references. Loved the bite size pieces throughout the chapters and the candid way she told stories. I found it interesting that she didn’t find books or podcasts that specifically helped her mindset because a lot of what she shared felt pretty universal. However, the list of ten questions at the very end was a big gut check. Loved those!!
I received an advance review copy for free via Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ability to read this book ahead of release. I was so excited to read it. I love Tia from being a crossfitter myself, and maybe my expectations were as high as her crossfit scores, but this was not well written/ well edited, etc. I think the book tried to be too much at one time: memoir, coach, body positive, pregnancy. I got to a point where I felt like I didn't know what the goal was.
This book is about one of the premier CrossFit athletes in the last ten years. I liked that this book was a little memoir, while also giving encouraging tips to other weightlifters or powerlifters. In that sense, however, this book was targeted a bit more towards athletes who would benefit from the author's coaching tips rather than a general audience. I no longer lift heavy, but did find parts of it to be a kick in the pants to change my mindset about the gym!
I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. Amazing, well-written, inspirational, and positivity, are just some words that describe Tia Toomey's newest book.
Let me start off by saying I am a Tia FAN. She is an incredibly gifted and talented athlete (through a lot of hard work and discipline). However this book just wasn’t for me. This book reads more of “how to become like Tia” rather than a memoir. Tias training/mindset/personal rules to success are intense-so as someone whose goal is to workout and move by body for health I found this book hard to relate to and apply. It’s
However I loved the parts where she talked about pregnancy and learning how to adjust to her new body limits and life as a mom.
Still a huge Tia fan, just not a fan of this book
Having just read another to-be-released Crossfit memoir, it was hard not to compare the two. That said, I found THE HEART IS THE STRONGEST MUSCLE to be more quotes and to-dos than "Crossfit memoir." I also really struggled with Toomey's declarations of her belief in body positivity coupled with parenthetical negative comments about certain body parts or changes in appearance. All of this distracted from what is otherwise an interesting look behind the curtains of the career of one of Crossfit's most successful athletes EVER. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free advance copy.
I was super excited to read The Heart is the Strongest Muscle by Tia Toomey. I've watched the annual Crossfit Games for years and have seen her success. I think this would be a great book for people who are potentially interested in Crossfit or currently participate in Crossfit. However, I found this book to be part self-help, part autobiography, but mostly inspirational quotes and anecdotes.
This book is for all the CrossFit fans, athletes, and just anyone looking for some motivation. This is Tia’s second book and another in the CrossFit world. If you have read any books from any of the other CrossFit athletes, you’re gonna want to add this to your roster. It’s very interesting to see how Tia’s whole life has set her up for greatness. I’ve been following Tia’s journey in CrossFit for the past six years so I was very excited when this book was announced.
Let’s just put it this way inspiring doesn’t even cover this halfway. Hearing her story was amazing and made me want to do more with my own training. As an athlete myself I praise her ethic and work she has done to get where she is and I loved Thai book so much. Also I know a few people who would like this as well.
This book was great; it was a cross between memoir of Tia’s fitness journey and motivation/inspiration for athletes looking to improve their own game, whatever sport or activity that be. I’ve followed the CrossFit Games since 2015 and am a fan of Tia so I was eager to learn about how she’s become so accomplished and pick up some tips to better my own athletic skill set. Though I don’t do CrossFit, everything she teaches is applicable to the bigger sports industry and can use her wisdom towards my own fitness regime. She is genuine and puts it all out there with no extra frills- if you put in the work, it’s going to show. Sacrifices need to be made, but if you stay motivated by your “why”, you will reap the results.
Thank you to NetGalley and Rodale for an Advanced Readers Copy of this book.